Time runs out for Roughyeds
Reporter: by MATTHEW CHAMBERS
Date published: 05 October 2009
Keighley 28, Oldham 26
In the end, the bare facts state that Oldham suffered play-off final heartache for the third year in succession, this time to a Keighley side for whom livewire half-back pair Jon Presley and Danny Jones — the latter the scorer of two tries and four goals — ran the show at too many crucial moments.
In a fashion, this was the most heartbreaking of all those recent defeats.
Not least because it is now all too easy to point an accusing finger at second row star Chris Baines, who pulled wide a presentable late conversion which would have helped make the game all square.
As one of the main driving forces behind the superb run which took Oldham to the Halliwell Jones Stadium in the first place, Baines certainly doesn’t deserve that sort of legacy. Sport can be cruel.
What really did for Oldham on the day was a lack of attacking cohesion in the first half and a collective dropping off at the start of the second, with man-of-the-match Jones’s clever short kick-off leading to the Cougars establishing an advantage they were never to give up.
That was despite the Roughyeds’ stirring late rally which saw high-class tries registered for Marcus St Hilaire, Luke Menzies and Wayne Kerr. Five more minutes on the clock and it would surely have been curtains for Keighley.
Plenty of credit has to go the way of Barry Eaton’s men. Possessing plenty of pace in key positions, not to mention size in the shape of formidable prop pair Scott Law and Andy Shickell, the Cougars were ultimately worthy winners on the day and can now look forward to trips to Widnes, Halifax and Toulouse — Oldham will now contemplate visiting London Skolars and, incongruously, Leigh.
The first half was a tense affair containing plenty of errors and tough defence from both teams.
Presley threatened to open the scoring after eight minutes, caught by Oldham full-back Paul Reilly after breaking through, before video referee Ben Thaler was forced to judge on two incidents.
Neil Roden came up short when attempting to ground the ball but soon after, Tommy Goulden appeared to have touched down — only for the ‘try’ to be chalked off due to Goulden marginally losing full control.
The game was still scoreless 23 minutes in when Cougars full-back George Rayner produced a smart over head pass to set in Sam Gardner at the corner, though tackler Paul O’Connor had an argument for saying the winger also lost control at the crucial moment. Thaler thought otherwise.
Jones missed the conversion and Keighley wasted two further chances to stretch their lead before Menzies struck with the first of his double.
A pair of Oldham penalties gave good field position and a smart piece of play from acting half by Martin Roden saw the prop forward accept a sharp pass to crash over, Baines converting for a 6-4 lead.
Quick thinking from Jones then led to the Cougars edging in front early in the second half, with the scrum-half collecting a deflected bomb to score on the right, again after the video referee had checked for a knock-on.
Jones converted and was lining up another nine minutes later, again after his own handiwork had seen the Keighley man pounce from close range on a ball which had gone to ground.
At 16-6 down, a swift attack from Oldham ended with Neil Roden scything his way through the defence to register his 100th try for the club in great style, with Baines adding a goal to put the Roughyeds right back in The momentum was too tough to maintain and the two Cougars tries after the hour won the match. Shickell did brilliantly to free his arm in a two-man tackle and offload to Jones, who found Presley to run the ball home. Jones converted.
The next try was also well-worked, with Jones and Presley linking neatly to send in Ollie Pursglove on the left after Reilly had lost possession.
A Jones conversion helped Keighley to a 28-12 lead which so nearly wasn’t enough.
Thomas Coyle, who had a mixed afternoon, found some searing form as the game closed out and first, he threw a dummy and a superb long pass for St Hilaire to slide in, Matty Ashe failing to convert.
Coyle then scampered on the angle to within a foot, leading to Jones being sent to the sin bin in preventing a quick play-the-ball.
Menzies almost immediately added to his tally off Ashe’s pass to give the Roughyeds a sniff, but Baines couldn’t add the goal in a rushed attempt with four minutes left.
With two minutes left, Coyle and Baines worked an opening for Wayne Kerr to stride in down the centre, Baines kicking the goal to bring his side to within two points.
But with less than 60 seconds on the clock, time was on Keighley’s side and Eaton and his players could celebrate a third win over the Roughyeds in a season — and promotion to the Championship.
Keighley 28
Oldham 26
Keighley: Rayner; Gardner, Potter, Pursglove, Duffy; Presley, Jones; Law, Wray, Shickell, Cartledge, Nicholson, Hughes. Subs: Smith, Feather, Benjafield, Rawlins.
Tries: Gardner (23), Jones (42, 51), Presley (62), Pursglove (68).
Goals: Jones 4/5
Sin bin: Jones (75, holding down).
Oldham: Reilly; Onyango, St Hilaire, Joseph, O’Connor; N Roden, Coyle; Boults, M Roden, Kerr, Baines, Goulden, Lawton. Subs: I’Anson, Menzies, Ashe, Heaton.
Tries: Menzies (35, 76), N Roden (57), St Hilaire (70), Kerr (78).
Goals: Baines 3/4, Ashe 0/1.
Referee: Ronnie Laughton
Penalty count: 2-9
Attendance: 4000 (approx)
Scoring sequence
First half: 4-0, 4-6
Second half: 10-6, 16-6, 16-12, 22-12, 28-12, 28-16, 28-20, 28-26
